Farmers in Castile and Leon may harvest 4.5 million metric
tons of grain, excluding corn, down from 7.45 million tons in
2013, Asaja wrote in an online report today. Wheat production is
forecast to fall to 2.3 million tons from 3.44 million tons.

Spain is the European Union’s largest grain importer,
buying mainly wheat and corn. The country’s wheat-import needs
are largely determined by the size of its own crop, Jack Watts,
an analyst at the U.K.’s Agriculture & Horticulture Development
Board, wrote in a report yesterday.

“This major drop in production is due to several
factors,” Asaja wrote. “The contribution from the countryside
to the gross domestic production of Castile and Leon will be
much smaller than in previous years.”

Barley production is forecast to fall to 1.88 million tons
from last year’s 3.5 million tons, while farmers may harvest
128,030 tons of oats from 187,040 tons in 2013, and 139,949 tons
of rye from 271,190 tons.

Asaja’s forecast compares with a government outlook for
Castile and Leon wheat production of 2.84 million tons and a
barley crop of 2.64 million tons, based on the situation at the
end of March.

A very rainy winter, while good for recharging moisture
reserves and ensuring irrigation water, caused ponding and poor
germination, according to Asaja. That was followed by “a near
absence” of rain in April and May, causing early drying up of
cereals. Farmers also faced “intense proliferation” of fungal
disease, mainly rust and septoria, Asaja said.

Spain

Temperatures in Spain averaged 17.3 degrees Celsius (63.1
degrees Fahrenheit) in May, 1.4 degrees higher than normal,
while rainfall of 33 millimeters (1.3 inches) was about half the
usual amount, according to the country’s weather office. In
central and southwest Spain, temperatures were 4 to 5 degrees
Celsius higher than normal in the May 1-18 period.

Current high temperatures could cause a reduction in the
production outlook, according to Asaja. Harvesting machinery is
in the field in the region’s south, compared with a usual
harvest start of toward the end of June, the group wrote.